Olympics Opening Ceremony 2014: What to Watch for During Friday's Spectacle

The 2014 Olympics opening ceremony will take place at Sochi's Fisht Olympic Stadium on Friday at 11 a.m. ET. It will be shown on tape delay in the U.S. at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. This event is sure to bring about some dazzling performances and sights to behold.

Like every Olympics opening ceremony in the past, we are accustomed to expect a grandiose spectacle that is sure to leave every viewer breathless. This year will be no different, as there are a plethora of acts, celebrities and speeches to take in.

Some of the format has been kept under wraps, as the organizers in Sochi have remained tight-lipped regarding some of the phenomenons that will be taking place. However, there are a few known activities that are already known to the public.

Let's take a closer look at what you should be watching for when the 2014 Olympics opening ceremony rolls around.

Even though there isn't an abundance of information available regarding the 2014 Olympic opening ceremony, we do know what types of activities will take place. Canada.com cited a Moscow Times article briefly explaining the acts that will be on display:

Russia's biggest points of pride—classical music, ballet, the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russian avant-garde art and architecture—will receive their own special tributes.

Luckily, RIA Novosti was able to gather some specific information from people who took part in the final rehearsal for the event:

We were told that they had kept some secrets from us, said one Olympic Park worker who declined to give her name, but judging by the rehearsal there will definitely be a run-through of Russian history.

Said the worker, "It shows all of Russian history, apart from the revolution. There is no Lenin or Stalin."

RIA Novosti was also told that during this part of the event, there were plenty of special effects and performers flying around on wires taking place well above the audience's heads.

It sure sounds like the organizers at Sochi are pulling out all of the stops.

Celebrities to Watch

Danielle Bradbery

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press/Associated Press

Bradbery, winner of Season 4 of The Voice has been linked to the 2014 Olympics' promotional campaign, according to Christina Vinson of TasteOfCountry.com. Said Bradbery regarding her song entitled "My Day":

When I first heard the song "My Day," I knew I wanted to cut it immediately, because the day I won The Voice was truly the most amazing day of my life. The song reminded me of all the excitement and honor I experienced on that magical evening. I am honored to be able to share the song through this special campaign honoring our Olympic heroes, who I look forward to cheering on this winter on NBC.

Her continued success at such a young age and her ties to the 2014 Olympics makes Bradbery a prime candidate for a performance during the opening ceremony.

t.a.T.u

The Russian pop duo burst onto the scene in 2003 with multiple hits that became popular in the U.K. as well as the U.S. According to The Wall Street Journal, the duo may be one of the acts that performs during the opening ceremony. The write:

The duo had posted on their Twitter that they'd be performing at the opening but later removed the post and has refused further comments. State television Channel One, whose producers and directors are staging the ceremony, also declined to comment.

It is customary for the host country to feature their own talent. This tweet from the pop duo just may have leaked one of the Russian acts that will take place during the opening ceremony.

Speeches

Dmitry Chernyshenko and Thomas Bach

Andrej Isakovic/Associated Press

Every Olympic opening ceremony generally contains at least two speeches. This year, it appears as though the two people who will take the podium will be Chernyshenko, president of the Olympic Organizing Committee and Bach, president of the Olympic International Committee, according to Nick Forrester of the International Business Times.

Parade of Athletes

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

The parade of athletes is one of the most amazing spectacles to watch during the Olympics opening ceremony. So many elite athletes from countries around the world gather to celebrate their team's appearance in the Olympic Games.

This is a must-see tradition for anyone intending to watch the opening ceremony. The parade brings about the added excitement of attempting to pick out your favorite athletes from the crowd.

The Olympic Flame

Konstantin Dikovsky/Associated Press

The Olympic torch has arrived in Sochi, and the lighting of the flame is one of the biggest highlights and long-time traditions of the Olympic Games. Athletes from many different nations run with the torch on an arduous journey to pass to the next torchbearer. This culminates with the lighting of the Olympic Flame, signifying the beginning of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.